The term “abstract art” brings to mind patters of lines, colors, and forms splashed across a canvas with rules of the art form seemingly varying from artist to artist, and at times, from artwork to artwork. While this independence from the physical world is what defines the abstract genre from other forms of art, this same trait is what has made abstract art a target of negative criticism since the height of art forms focused on hyper-realism and perspective.

Abstract art however, has some of the oldest roots in the artistic scene. Basic patterns of lines on ancient pottery were used only to vaguely depict something in the physical world; zigzags of blue could represent water, and a simple stripe of black could be the night sky. The way in which the two may be arranged could be the ocean at night. This level of visual stimulus leaves more to the imagination of the individual than “traditional” art forms. This means that abstract styles are meant to project feelings and sensations rather than display objects.

This means that appreciation of abstract art requires a different take than admiring the hyper-realism of – for example – a painting of a bowl of fruit when compared to that which it was modeled after.

Take a real-life scenario: a man holds another at gunpoint. Here, the scenario is clear; there is a clearly stated model of firearm, and there is an absolute definition of intent when the former points the weapon at the latter. Such a scenario forces an imprint of itself onto the onlooker’s mind, stating that “this is reality.” That is the approach of perspective and realism toward art, and that is how fans of hyper-realism enjoy art.

Abstract art however, is more comparable to a real-life scenario where a person is standing, back turned to an alleyway, pitch black with some unidentifiable silhouette within; there is no clear danger. The silhouette could be a pile of trash, or, it could be a criminal with a knife. The person is no clearly defined either, and could be an innocent bystander about to fall in harm’s way; or he could be waiting for whatever is in the shadows. The onlooker doesn’t know. He/she sees the situation presented, but does not have access to pinpoint information, rather, is only given clues, and has imagination drive the scenario for him/her.

This trait is the strength of abstract art, allowing it to depict things in the real world that otherwise cannot be represented. The painting Disks of Newton, Study for Fugue in Two Colors by Frantisek Kupka for example, is a painting of several disks of vibrant color meant to produce a sense of whirling and spinning movements. Such subjects are difficult to capture with realistic imagery, but are easy to capture with abstract painting. The same painting is also meant to express Kupka’s claim of “find(ing) something between sight and sound,” as presented by the words “Newton,” and “fugue” in the title.

In that sense, the quality needed for a person to appreciate the abstract genre and all the styles that fall within its bounds can almost be defined as empathy. Because abstract art projects sensations, one is not able to truly connect with the art form with closed emotions. Take Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket by James Abbot McNeill Whistler. The cityscape painting depicts a fireworks display in London; that is discernible enough alone. However, abstract techniques were utilized in its creation in order to project the feeling of actually experiencing the movement of the sparks of the rockets in the sky. Without empathizing with the emotions Whistler must have had when painting The Falling Rocket, the full impact of the painting is lost.

As with all works of art, the abstract form requires a certain level of depth of though to comprehend. If the perception is too shallow, the meaning is unclear. If it is too deep, the message of the form is overshadowed by personal opinion. The trick to appreciating abstract art therefore, is somewhere deeper than admiration of the art, and somewhere shallower than interpretation. Is it empathy? Yes and no. Empathy definitely pulls the observer to the moment the artist created the art, but does not provide form; because form is provided by understanding.

Without understanding, everything in the world is formless and meaningless, just like the random lines and colors children draw with crayon. With it however, the lines become motion, and the colors become time. The blend of empathy and understanding turn anything – even abstract art – into something far more real than many “realistic” art forms can be.

Museums are a major part of almost every nation’s economy, particularly due to the effects they have on the tourist trade. In fact, millions of tourists either start or end their trips to hotspots with trips to museums. However, not all museums are alike, and they vary greatly from each other in terms of theme and content among other things.

This makes it a difficult task to judge which museum is better than another; all the more difficult when compiling a list of the best in the trade, because for certain, what one museum has, others probably don’t have.

It is however, much easier to judge a museum based on its popularity. Especially among favorites among tourists and enthusiasts, numbers do not lie; any attraction draws large numbers for a reason. It is possible – albeit roughly – to equate the number of visitors a museum has each year to a vote for it to be the best. That said, if a list were compiled, and a select few chosen as the best of all museums, it would be as follows:

Top 5: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City – This is one of the most popular museums in the world because of two main factors: First, it is conveniently located in one of the busiest places in the world. Second, the museum has a collection of seventeen curatorial departments with a total of over two million individual pieces ranging from ancient Egyptian to modern contemporary art. Popularly called the Met, this monster of a gallery is home to a permanent collection that includes the works of Rembrandt, Botticelli, and Dürer’s famous Adam and Eve.

Top 4: The British Museum, London – This is another museum of monstrous proportions, and in its early days in the 1800s, was called the largest construction site in Europe. While it now dedicates itself to the world’s cultural history, no longer housing a natural history collection, the British Museum still has a massive permanent collection of over eight million pieces, including the famed Rosetta Stone. Another reason for its spot in the list is the fact it has a free admission.

Top 3: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington D. C. – This museum not only houses the largest collection of aircraft and spacecraft in the world including iconic craft such as the Flyer and the Enola Gay, but is also a research center for aviation and space travel. It also houses the Phoebe Waterman Haas Observatory, which has been open to the public since 2009, and boasts over sixty thousand aerospace objects, and more than twenty-thousand cubic feet of archival records. Finally, just like most other attractions on the National Park, entrance to the museum is free.

Top 2: The National Museum of Natural History, Washington D. C. – Also located on the National Mall, the National Museum of Natural History is currently the most popular mall in the United States. Its location helps draw in close to seven million visitors every year, turning it into the most visited natural history museum in the world. It has a collection of 125 million specimens from the natural world, including fossils, rocks, plants, and animals; it even houses a near perfect 330 carat blue star sapphire called the Star of Asia.

Top 1: The Musée du Louvre, Paris – The Louvre Museum holds the top spot for almost every year in terms of popularity at nearly ten million visitors every year. It is not as intimidating in terms of architectural span and size compared to the rest of its competition, but it fights with a collection of thirty-five thousand iconic objects that span from early prehistoric items to modern art. It boasts a variety of historically infamous masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Louvre Pyramids. The Louvre has learned to bathe in the controversy, becoming more enigmatic and attractive over time.

I miss my good, old days when I was still in the Police Department. I retired three years earlier because I thought that I needed to enjoy my life more, but then, I became bored at home when my wife died and I decided to host tours around the museum as a diversion. I love it, but there are times that I wanted to go back to the force, but I could not. My work now is very laid back and I think that my body misses the adrenaline rush of catching muggers and criminals downtown.

I remember when my partner, Ralph and I had nightly surveillance when we were tailing a Chinese drug lord in the city. We were having hotdogs and strong coffee to help us be more alert and then suddenly, we heard gunshots. I immediately radioed our department asking for help, while Ralph latched his gun off. We saw a man running towards an ally and he was carrying a big, blue duffel bag. Ralph and I decided to run after him, but unfortunately, I suffered a sprained foot in the pursuit and it was so painful that I could not stand straight. I told Ralph to go and do not worry about me. I added that I would just call for the medic, as I am sure that they are already on their way with the reinforcements. After a couple of minutes, I have heard sirens from everywhere and then I saw Ralph holding the blue duffel bag, but the guy wasn’t with him. I heard him telling our chief that he slipped off quickly and he did not have a clue on where he went.

Ralph ran towards me as he had seen me limping with a paramedic. He told me that he shot the guy that we were after, so he just threw the duffel bag and ran his ass off. I asked him what was inside the bag. He told me that it was all cocaine and it costs about more than our lifetime, as we both chuckled about it. He added that he already turned the bag over to our chief. Meanwhile, the paramedic told me to keep icing my sprain to keep the swelling down. He also gave me a couple of pills for the pain. He also advised me to get an x-ray first thing in the morning as I could also acquire sinus tarsi syndrome. He also mentioned that I should be more careful next time.

Ralph asked me if I was all right and I told him that I am okay. I asked him a favor if he could drop me home, as I know that Sherry is worried about me. We pulled over in front of my house and I saw Sherry went outside. She panicked a bit when she saw me limping. I told her that I was not shot and I needed more ice for my sprain. I also told her about what the paramedic advised me and she said the she would love to come along later to the hospital with me.

Sherry and I have a son and his name is Carl. He too was devastated by her mom’s passing last year. He did not even came to her mom’s funeral. He just stayed in his old room, staring blankly at the wall. I tried to understand him as we all have our own ways to cope with problems. We rarely see each other as he now lives in Houston, Texas and living with his own family. I am glad that he contacted me a few days ago and he told me that he is coming for a visit here in Pennsylvania with his family. I asked him about the reason on why is he visiting and he told me that he just wanted to take time off and he wanted to see his old man. I was so touched with what he said to me. When Sherry passed away, I felt so alone because my son and I were not talking that much so I just spent more time working at the Art Museum as a diversion.

I remember when Sherry became pregnant with Carl. She was so ecstatic and excited. We both wanted a baby boy and our wishes became true. She had a hard time dealing with her first trimester of pregnancy, as she always felt sick with anything she smelled around our home. From the flower blooms in our garden to the Chinese take outs that she used to love before she became pregnant. Every morning, she spends an hour a day dealing with her nausea and vomiting. I felt bad that all I could do was hold her hair whenever she was vomiting. I told her about it and she said that it was always enough that I am always beside her.

Dealing with her second trimester was better as her pregnancy symptoms gradually came off. The only thing that made her worry was stretch marks was starting to appear on the breasts and she wanted them to come off as soon as possible. I explained it to her that it was normal because of her sudden weight gain, but she still insisted that she get a consult with a dermatologist.

The doctor told her that stretch marks gradually fade in time. It normally occurs when your body grows faster than your skin and it cannot keep up with it and it causes the elastic fibers under the skin to break, developing to stretch marks. She wanted to get rid of them so she asked the doctor about how to remove stretch marks faster. The doctor suggested that she could put Retin A, Lextrin, Vit E oil or egg oil over the stretch marks once or twice a day and they are proven to dramatically improve the appearance of stretch marks. The doctor added that she could also take Vit C supplements as it can help lighten the marks. However, if these treatments do not work as much as expected, she can undergo laser treatments and surgery after she gave birth.

I am glad that Sherry finally was contented with what she heard. She told me that she would try the less invasive and cheaper ways to deal with her marks first and I agreed. I do not want her to undergo any kind of surgery just because of her vanity.

My wife, Sherry used to work as a flight attendant for a certain airline. She has big blue eyes, tall, pretty with long and gorgeous blonde hair. The first time that I glanced upon her, she captured me right away with her beauty. I was on her flight because I was going to attend a seminar about police civic duties in California. My flight took over 5hours and I took that time to know her better. She was so friendly with me, so I took the chance to get her number. We dated for almost a year before I proposed to her and luckily, she wanted to spend her whole life with me and I am always thankful of that.

Sherry used to be bothered with her tailors bunion, you can find more about these at http://www.buniondoctor.net. She developed it on her feet because she used to wear high-heeled shoes all day with her work. I asked her if she could just wear flat shoes, but she could not because it was required as their uniform. It was really bothering her because it was causing her severe pain in her ankles and feet. There were also a protrusion of bones and redness on her feet. I suggested that she sees a podiatrist. I asked around and the people I know referred a Dr. Crawford. They told me that she is one of the best podiatrist around the area, if not the best podiatrist in Pennsylvania. I told my wife about her and she wanted to book a consult with her because she wants a solution to her problems.

We went to Dr. Crawford’s clinic and she was so warm and friendly with her patients. She even accompanies her patients outside. My wife’s name was called and we went to the doctor’s office. The doctor introduced herself and shook my wife’s hand. She started to ask her about her condition. My wife showed her feet to her and she agreed that it was a bunion. What can cause these bunions was my wife’s question to the doctor. She told her that wearing high-heeled and ill-fitting shoes cause them. She also added that heredity and arthritis could also be a factor. She told my wife that she needed to cease wearing her heels from time to time to give her feet the time to rest.

Sherry did not want to undergo a bunion surgery because she was afraid of the thought of the pain that was why she wanted alternatives. She also cannot resign from her work so she opted for the other treatments offered by the podiatrist like orthotic devices, such as custom-made arch supports and shoe inserts, which relieves tension on the base of her toe. She also tried specific exercises, which really helped her deal with the pain as the exercises help keep her foot muscles flexible. She also used bunion pads to keep the friction down to a bare minimum. The doctor also suggested my wife to fit her shoes properly when buying a new one, even though she already knows her shoe size because shoe sizes vary depending on the style and brand.

I have been in the Police force for over 50 years and I am proud and happy to say that I have not had a problem, not even once, with my partner, Ralph. We used to have fun during our night surveillance, early morning doughnuts, and coffee take-outs. I really missed our time with the department. We treat each other as brothers, so we still keep in touch from time to time, even though we are now retired. He also lives here in Suffolk, Virginia so we often bump around each other.

One night at around 11pm, my phone rang and I was worried that it was an emergency call. I picked it up and asked who it was and I was surprised that it was Ralph. He told me that it was not an emergency, but he was indeed on a troubled tone. I told him that I was still up when the phone rang and if he wanted to come over, it was okay. He laughed and told me that he was actually around my neighborhood and was hoping that I was free to talk. I invited him to come over and have a few beers with me like the old times. After a couple of minutes, I heard a car pulling over my driveway and I know that it was Ralphie as his close friends like me, call him.

I rushed to open the door and I saw Ralphie looking like he was in trouble. He lit a cigarette and asked me if it was okay if he smoke a cigarette outside before going in. I said that it was okay and I asked him to wait because I am getting our six-packs outside and we both smiled. He agreed and he said that it was indeed like the old times.

We almost finished six cans and out from nowhere, he asked me what do kidney stones feel like? He caught me off guard and I was really surprised so I just listened to what he had to say. He told me that he has severe pain while urinating with frequent nausea and vomiting. I asked him if he was serious and he nodded. I asked him how long was he experiencing that kind of symptoms and he told me that it has been months. I asked him if he already had himself examined by a doctor and he told me that he has not been near any hospital because he does not have any money. He added that he has red and brown urine and he did not know that to do. I told him to stop it and I am not taking no for an answer. I offered him money for his treatment and he told me that he was not here to ask for money. I told him that he did not ask for it and I just offered. I told him not to worry about paying me back because I was not asking him anything in return. I added that just being a true friend would suffice. He thanked me profusely and we continued reminiscing about our old days in the force.

Our family is cursed with having the genes of getting full-blown acne during our lifetime. I was just fourteen years old back then and I knew what was going to happen because I saw what happened to my older brother’s face. He seriously looked like a full moon. Anyway, I knew what I had to do so I asked my mom for money to get myself checked by a dermatologist because pimples are starting to grow on my face and back and I didn’t want to wait until they become those big, nodular acne and scalp acne that my brother have. I was not sure that my mom was going to approve of my idea, but it was worth to try. I was surprised that my mom liked my plans and she even offered to come along with me to the clinic. She asked me when do I want to have myself checked and I told her anytime that she is free is fine with me.

We scheduled my appointment with the doctor this coming weekend and I was excited, but at the same time scared of what would the doctor say about my condition. The weekend came and I woke up early because I do not want to be late for my appointment. My mom asked me about the reason why am I up early and it is a weekend. I was going to explain myself to her and she laughed. My mom has always been a cool mom for me and I love it. She told me to eat breakfast and wait for her because she still needs to take a bath and change clothes. She added that it would take her an hour.

Finally, after a long hour of waiting, she came downstairs and she brought my older brother with her. I asked my brother if he was coming with us and he said yes. I was going to say that it was time to get him treated and our mom read my mind and before I could say anything, she smiled and told me to not do it or else. We both laughed and my older brother was clueless that mom and I were talking about him and it was so funny.

We arrived at the dermatologist’s clinic and we were the first ones to arrive. We were called by the receptionist and we entered the doctor’s office. I was surprised that the doctor was male. He greeted us and he asked our mom about her concerns about us. After a few minutes, he then asked my brother and me about it further. He told us that breakouts normally occur during the adolescent period as we have overactive hormones to blame and we have nothing to be ashamed about it. He explained that even with the cleanest person’s face, if he is going to have a breakout, he cannot prevent it from happening. He reminded us that we could just manage it by using products formulated for young skin and not using our mom’s products. I laughed as I knew that my older brother have done that once. He added that it is wise to scrub gently the t-zone regularly to help unclog pores of oils and dead skin.

I have not heard from Ralph for a while and it is rare, so I got worried about him. I tried calling him on his cellular phone, but it does not ring. After work, I went to his house to say hi. I knocked on his door and I was surprised to see her daughter open the door. I asked for his father and she told me that he is sick for a week. I was taken aback by what she said. I told her that her dad did not tell me about his condition. I asked if I could see him and she let me in.

I saw Ralph on his favorite chair in his room. He was surprised to see me and he asked me what is going on. I told him that I should be the one asking him that and we both laughed. I asked him about why his phone does not ring and he told me that his line was cut off. I told him that I am worried about him because he always calls me almost every day. I asked about what happened to him and he told me that he has been experiencing fever, difficulty of breathing and some coughs. He told me that I was just in time, as they just came from the hospital for his check-up. I asked him how did it go and he shared that his doctor suspects that it is between bronchitis vs. pneumonia. He added that his results would go out tomorrow and he would go back with her daughter to get them. I told him to call me tomorrow about his results and I would come back again after work.

Ralph and her daughter went the hospital again in the morning. The doctor told them that his x-ray confirmed that he has bronchitis. He told Ralph to keep drinking water so soften up the phlegm in his throat. He was prescribed with a broad-spectrum antibiotic to be taken for ten days straight. He was also advised to refrain from doing strenuous activities as it could hinder his full recovery. He told the doctor that he does not want to feel useless in just lying in bed all day. The doctor told him that he could watch TV or read books, but it is advisable to keep him inside his home until he is healed. The doctor asked him about when was the last time that he smoked and he told him that he had a stick last week. He added that he has been trying to quit smoking for a few months and it has been great. He has not felt any withdrawal syndrome because he is quitting gradually. The doctor told him that it is an excellent move since he really needs to quit because of his condition. The doctor also cited a number of bronchitis remedies like chewing on a fresh basil and drinking turmeric with milk that could help him heal faster, more about these remedies can be found at treatingbronchitis.org.

When my wife, Sherry was still alive, we used to fish around our area. Suffolk, Virginia is filled with rivers and lakes with many fishes to catch like catfish, trouts and even bass. Every weekend, we see to it that we get out of the house and have frequent nature trips, which also became our bonding time. She used to tell me that I needed to give her more time on weekends because I was always busy on weekdays with police duties and I made an effort to give in to her wishes because I always wanted to give her the best that I can.

I remember the last time that we fished; it was almost two years ago. We planned to wake up at four in the morning, but we stayed up late that night, so we woke up late at around seven in the morning. It was still acceptable, but I expected that there would be people on my old fishing spot so we might have to find a new, good fishing spot. I double-checked the insides of my tackle box, as my wife sometimes take things off it. I checked the sinkers, bobbers, catfish bait, flies, hooks and it all looked good to me. Meanwhile, my wife was preparing our snacks and putting them inside the cooler. I told her to put in a six-pack for a merrier trip and she agreed.

We arrived at exactly 8am and as expected, there were too many people in the area so we needed to go further down the river. We got our rented boat and loaded our gears and food that will keep us company for waiting for our catch. As our boat moved forward, Sherry pointed her fingers to people noodling catfishes. She had no idea on what they were doing. I told her that they are trying to catch catfishes with their bare hands. I added that it is harder and trickier, but it is fun to do as I have tried it a number of times. She was surprised with what I said. I also added that noodling is also considered a sport. Normally, it is a two-man job, which consists of a noodler and a spotter for a higher chance of getting a fish. Noodlers search for shallow waters inside mud banks, fallen trees and submerged logs, while spotters act as their assistants in case they needed help with their catch.

Sherry was so fascinated with what I told her. She wanted to try noodling, but I joked that she should try on a Cory Catfish first and we both laughed about it. I promised her that on our next trip that I will teach her noodling and she was delighted by it. Too bad that it was the last time that we went on a fishing trip. I miss her so bad.

My friends still go out fishing and they always invite me to come, but I do not want to because the memories are just too painful for me. I am glad that they understand what I am going through and they told me that they would not get tired of waiting for me to move on. They even told me that they would keep inviting me week after week until I am ready.

My wife, Sherry has always been a beach bum ever since she was younger and before she died. She always made a point to be healthy and fit all year long, so she can always flaunt and look good wearing a bikini at the beach. Every summer, we went to the beach and do stuff like snorkelling, scuba diving and playing catch with our dog, Rusty. She always see to it that we both put sunscreens an hour before we go out under the sun to prevent second degree sunburn. We learned that we really needed to wait for an hour before we go out and stroll under the sun the hard way.

About thirty years ago, we had our honeymoon in Phuket, Thailand and we had a blast out there. Their beach is regarded as one of the best in the world and I agree about that. We spent a whole day beach hopping and still, we did not get to see them all. I love the laid-back scene at Kata and Karon beaches. The blue, serene and calm beaches with the ambient sounds of friendly waves was surreal. It was a perfect honeymoon if not for our sunburns. We thought that it was enough that we put our sunscreen on, and what we did not do was to let it dry first for an hour. We had a hard time finding a pharmacy, which sells a burn ointment because they were saying that they ran out of stock. Fortunately, we encountered a pharmacist who was so helpful that he taught us a household remedy of vinegar for sunburn. I did not believe him at all, but Sherry and I did not have a choice, so we went to a restaurant and asked them if we could get a small amount of vinegar for a price. It was a good thing that people there were generous as they gave us a half full or half-empty bottle, depending on how you see it, for free. We thanked their manager and told him that we were going to use it as a remedy for our burns. He shared that many foreigners suffer that same fate because they underestimate the sun’s rays and we agreed and told him that we learned it the hardest way possible.

We directly went to our hotel room and applied the vinegar on our backs and arms. It was soothing, but it smelled weird and we did not care because it was working. There was a free computer with an internet service inside our room so I searched the web about it and it was all true. I have read that vinegars are antiseptics that will help our wounds heal faster. If not for its smell, I will also use it outside.

Sherry and I were both relieved that we have something to treat our burns for the meantime. We asked the concierge of the hotel for a pharmacy that has a stock of burn ointments and they told us that they could buy one for us.